About the Collection

Parliament has been collecting works of art for over 150 years. The origin of the Collection was in the 1840s when large wall paintings and marble statues were added to the newly built Palace of Westminster. It currently has over 8,500 works of art, divided between the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

It is a collection of national and international significance, which the Committee and the staff in the Curator’s Office develop, care for and interpret to ensure it remains relevant to the changing face of Parliament. Care is also taken to illustrate the people and events which have made a difference to the political life of the UK and ensure a variety of styles and approaches from UK-based artists are represented.